Record revealed
Hoax letter signed by ‘Jack the Ripper’
This is one of hundreds of letters in police files claiming to have been written by the infamous Whitechapel Murderer – otherwise known as 'Jack the Ripper'.
Series
Assizes: Western Circuit: Criminal Depositions and Case Papers
Catalogue reference: ASSI 26
What's it about?
ASSI 26
The items in this series relate mainly to murder and other serious offences. A high proportion of the murders are cases of infanticide. After 1949 a wider range of offences is covered. The earlier depositions are sometimes annotated with verdict...
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
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ASSI 26
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Title (The name of the record)
- Assizes: Western Circuit: Criminal Depositions and Case Papers
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Date (When the record was created)
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1861-1971
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Description (What the record is about)
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The items in this series relate mainly to murder and other serious offences. A high proportion of the murders are cases of infanticide. After 1949 a wider range of offences is covered. The earlier depositions are sometimes annotated with verdict and sentence. Associated documents, such as medical and welfare reports, after 1957, will be found with the depositions. Twentieth century depositions are accompanied by indictments, lists of witnesses and exhibits, formal correspondence about the conduct of the trial and/or appeal. Documentary exhibits (mainly correspondence, photographs and medical reports), are also included.
Notable cases include: the prosecution of members of the communist party for sedition in 1921 (Glanville and Winter) and in 1931 (Shepherd, Allison and Fairman); Thomas Henry Allaway (murder, 1922); and the acquittal of Sarah Ann Hearn (murder, 1930).
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Note (Additional information about the record)
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The naming of a defendant within this catalogue does not imply guilt.
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Arrangement (Information about the filing sequence or logical order of the record)
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Related material (A cross-reference to other related records)
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For information on the outcome of these cases, available in crown minute books (some closed for 75 years dates going up to 2047) and indictment files (some closed for 100 years dates going up to 2072), see respectively: ASSI 21 ASSI 25
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
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Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
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English
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
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632 bundles, files and papers
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Access conditions (Information on conditions that restrict or affect access to the record)
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Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated
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Subjects (Categories and themes found in our collection (our subject list is under development, and some records may have no subjects or fewer than expected))
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C2420/
Catalogue hierarchy
Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
41,615 records
Within the department: ASSI
Records of Justices of Assize, Gaol Delivery, Oyer and Terminer, and Nisi Prius
You are currently looking at the series: ASSI 26
Assizes: Western Circuit: Criminal Depositions and Case Papers
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